Auxiliary stair tread



July 9, 1940. J. R. BOYD 2,206,862

y AUXILIARY STAIR TREAD Filed March 29, 1938 gmc/wm Patented July 9, 1940 UNITED STATES AUXILIARY STAIR. TREAD James E. Boyd, Whitinsville, Mass.. l

Application March 29,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to stairs.

The object of this invention is to provide an auxiliary stair tread construction adapted to be applied to the conventional stairs in any stair- 5 Way whereby to decrease the height of the rise in the stairs so as to render the use of the stairway by elderly people, invalids or children much easier and with a less amount of expenditure of effort and strength than hitherto required. It is well known that the normal rise of the stairs in a stairway is sometimes too great for elderly people, invalids and children. To obviate this difculty the above contemplated auxiliary stair construction is characterized by a metallic stair having a rise substantially one-half that of the conventional stair rise and a tread of the same Width as the conventional stair width each metallic stair being provided with securing means at the end edges thereof. As many such metallic auxiliary stairs are utilized in a stairway at one side thereof as there are steps in the stairway.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof given hereunder proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single gure showing in perspective a portion of a stairway with the auxiliary stairs applied thereto.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I0 denotes a portion of a stairway showing stairs or steps II and I2, and a balustrade I3 provided on the staircase I4. The stairs I I and I2 have a conventional tread I5, and a conventional rise I6.

The auxiliary stair II is preferably made of sheet metal of a guage having suicient strength for the purpose intended and is shaped to provide a tread portion I8 and a riser portion I9 which is given a height substantially one-half that of the riser I6 of the stairway, the width of the tread 40 portion I8 being substantially equal to the width of the tread I5. At the rear edge of the tread portion I8, the same is provided with a short Vertical flange 2D provided with a plurality of holes for the reception of the screws 2I for fastening the tread portion I8 to the riser I6 of the stairway. In a like manner the riser portion I9 is provided with a horizontally extending short flange 22 similarly provided with a plurality of openings for the reception of the screws 23 for fastening the riser portion I9 to the edge of the tread I5 of the stairway, as shown. As indicated above, one such auxiliary stair I'I is applied to each stair in a stairway.

It will be noted that the auxiliary stairs I'I are of a width which is considerably less than the 1938, Serial No'. 198,664

width of the stairway being preferably not greater than one-fourth the width of the stairway.

In attaching the auxiliary stairs I'I to the stairs of the stairway they are preferably placed adjacent the staircase I4 on the balustrade side thereof. This will enable the person using the auxiliary stairs I1 to have the benet of holding on to the balustrade.

In the use of the auxiliary stairs I'I, it will be apparent that with vthe right foot of the person placed on the tread I5 of the stair II, the left foot will be placed next on the tread portion I8 (going up the stairs), then the right foot will be placed on the tread I5 of the stair I2, followed by the left foot being placed on the tread portion I8 of the auxiliary stair on the tread I5, and so on. I n this manner, the person walking up the stairs will have to raise his feet only one-half the distance of the conventional rise I6 of the stairs II, I2.

Changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may readily be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims:

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. In combination with a conventional stairway including a plurality of stairs, an auxiliary stair for each of said stairs, each auxiliary stair formed of a single sheet of sheet metal and comprising a tread portion of substantially the same width as said stairs, and a riser portion of a height substantially one-half that of the risers of said stairs, attaching flanges formed at the free end edges of said tread and riser portions adapted for rigid attachment respectively to said tread and riser of each stair, said auxiliary stairs being arranged at one side of said stairway, and each of said auxiliaryy stairs being of a length constituting a fractional part of the width of said stairway so as not to interfere with the normal use thereof.

2. In combination, a stairway, an auxiliary stair for attachment to a stair in said stairway formed of a single sheet of sheet metal and comprising a tread portion and a riser portion of a height substantially less than that of the risers of the stairsin said stairway and arranged at right angles to each other, the rear end of said tread portion being formed to provide a short vertical flange andthelower end of said riser portion being formed to provide a short horizontal ange, a row of openings in each flange, said flanges being adapted to engage respectively both the riser and tread of a stair, and fastening means inserted through said flange openings for rigidly securing said auxiliary stair in place, said auxiliary stairs being arranged at one side of said stairway, and each of said auxiliary stairs being of a length constituting a fractional part of the width of said stairway so as not to interfere with way, and each of said auxiliary stairs being of a length constituting a fractional part of the Width of said stairway so as not to interfere with the normal use thereof.

4. In combination, a stairway having a staircase, an auxiliary stair comprising a tread and riser portion of a height substantially less than that of the risers of the stairs in said stairway and formed of sheet metal and positioned on a stair in said stairway and adjacent to said staircase and of a length substantially less than the width of said stair and arranged at one side of said stairway so as not to interfere with the normal use thereof, and means for rmly securing said auxiliary stair in place. Y

J AlWES R. BOYD. 

